There are many applications running on computing devices, e.g., mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, etc., that can receive push notifications and messages from remote servers. Instead of a pull messaging transaction that is initiated by a receiving application, a remote server (e.g. an information publisher) initiates a push messaging transaction. Through a setting interface provided by an application or an operating system of a computing device, a user can adjust the preference and the subscriptions regarding the push and pull messaging transactions.
For instance, the Apple Push Notification Service is a push service. The Apple Push Notification Service forwards notifications from remote servers of applications to the Apple devices through a constantly open Internet Protocol (IP) connection. Such notifications can include badges, sounds or test alerts. Developers of applications can take advantage of the push service by using application programming interface (API) calls provided by Apple, Inc. The size of each notification message is usually restricted to a predetermined size, e.g. 256 bytes. Cloud-to-Device Messaging (C2DM) is a push service that allows remote servers to send messages to mobile applications on computing devices. Remote servers can use this service to notify mobile applications to contact the server and fetch updated data.
These message push services can create serious drains on the batteries of the computing devices, particularly for computing devices maintaining wireless network connections (e.g. WiFi or cellular networks). Every time a new message notification is pushed to a computing device, the computing device switches from a low power conservation state to a higher power consuming state for a period of time. Once entering the higher power consuming state, the computing device has to remain in the state for at least a fixed time period before the device can return to a low power conservation state. When push notifications reach the computing device at different points in time, the computing device needs to enter the higher power consuming state numerous times (and overall for a long period of time) to receive and process the push notifications, resulting in draining the battery of the computing device.